No little girl in the world could possibly resist such an exquisite princess dress. However, she found herself asking, “Why don’t you present it to her personally?”
Wouldn’t this serve as the perfect opportunity to win Joy’s affection and finally spend time with her?
“How could I possibly do that?” Eric shook his head with immediate conviction.
“I purchased this dress purely for Joy’s happiness, not as some kind of bribe to manipulate her emotions. Regardless of whether she wishes to see me or not, I will continue providing for her.”
His striking features remained completely earnest.
Hadley felt something shift subtly within her chest as she reached out to accept the bag.
“I understand completely. I’ll make sure she receives it. Please wait here a moment.”
“Take all the time you need.” Eric offered a solemn nod, his voice dropping to a reverent whisper filled with resigned acceptance as he added, “Joy’s reluctance to meet me is completely understandable—her happiness is the only thing that truly matters.”
Hadley made her way upstairs.
Inside the bedroom, Joy sat cross-legged on the bed, still wrapped snugly in her bathrobe. Melba had just finished drying her hair.
Setting the hairdryer aside, Melba said, “All done here, Hadley. I’ll get out of your way now.”
“Okay.” Hadley flashed her a grateful smile.
“Thank you for helping out, Melba.”
“Mom, what’s this?” Joy’s sharp eyes caught sight of the bag Hadley had just set on the end of the bench. She pointed at it, curiosity written all over her face. She waited for her mother’s approval before reaching for it.
“That one?” Hadley asked, kneeling to pick up the bag.
“Go ahead and see what’s inside, Joy. Tell me if you like it.”
Inside the bag was a blue princess dress, the fabric fanning out over the bed like something out of a fairy tale.
Step into fiction with . com
“Wow!” Joy’s eyes sparkled with excitement, dimples appearing as she grinned.
“It’s gorgeous!”
She already owned an Elsa dress—lovely, but nowhere near as elegant as this new one. Besides, what girl would say no to another dress?
“Is this really for me?”
“It’s all yours.” Hadley gave a warm nod.
“Want to try it on?”
“Yes!” Joy squealed, hopped off the bed, and shrugged out of her bathrobe.
“Dress me!”
“Of course.” With a bright laugh, Hadley slipped the new dress over her daughter’s head.
“Let’s see how it looks in the mirror!” Joy beamed, already bouncing off the bed and hurrying toward her dressing room.
The room was lined with mirrors that stretched from floor to ceiling, perfectly reflecting Joy’s little figure dressed in blue.
“Wow!” She spun around, clutching the hem and lighting up the space with her excitement.
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